Automatic train signaling and recording system.



No. 763,939. I PATENTED JUNE 28, 1904. I. R. WOOD & D. SHAMBBRGER. AUTOMATIC TRAIN SIGNALING AND RECORDING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24. 1903. N0 MODEL. 2 BHEET8SHEET 1.

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No. 763,939. PATENTED JUNE 28, 1904.

' F. R. WOOD & 1). F. SHAMBERGER.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN SIGNALING AND RECORDING SYSTEM.-

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 24. 1903. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

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No. 763,939. Patented June 28, 190 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

FRANK R. WOOD AND DANIEL FREDERICK SHAMBERGER, OF SPARROWS POINT, MARYLAND.

AUTOMAT IG TRAIN SIGNALING AND RECORDING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,939, dated June 28, 1904.

Application filed August 24, 1903. Serial No. 170,598. (No model.)

T all whom it y 0011106771! ings, in whichlike numerals and letters of ref- 5 Be it known that we, FRANK R. VVOOD and erence indicate like parts in all the figures, 1, DANIEL FREDERICK SHAMBERGER, residing at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 designate the main-line wires Sparrows Point, county of Baltimore, and having thecommon ground connection at 5 State of Maryland, have invented certain new their ends, and the said wires each include and useful Improvements in Automatic Train time-stamp devices T and recording mechan- 55 Signaling and Recording Systems, of which isms R, located at a central station C. the following is a specification. Arranged atsuitable intervals alongtherail- Our present invention relates to improveroad-line are a number of signaling or trans IO ment in railroad-train-signaling systems, and mitting mechanisms, (designated generally by it more particularly seeks to provide an im- M,) which are shown in detail in Figs. 2 to 5, provement upon the signaling system disclosed inclusive, by reference to which it will be seen in our copending application filed on even date we provide a rotary shaft 15, and secured to herewith and bearing the Serial No. 170,597; rotate therewith are a series of commutatorand the invention primarily consists of a sedisks 16, one for each main-line wire and each ries of main-line wires including a number of being of like constructiomand the said shaft 5 signaling mechanisms arranged at predeter- 15 also carries a signaling-wheel 17, having a mined distances along the railroad-line, toseries of signaling teeth corresponding in gether with a plurality of time-stamp and renumber and arrangement to the number of cording devices, one for each main-line wire, commutator-disks for a purpose presently to all of which time-stamp and recording devices appear. 70 being preferably located at the main or cen- Secured to rotate with the shaft 15 is 'a tral station. ratchet 18, having a number of teeth 18 equal Another object of our invention is to proto the number of commutator-disks and with vide means for cutting out the remaining stawhich the pawl 19, pivotally mounted at l9 tions along the railroad-line when one transto the casing 921., engages. 75

mitter orsignal-station has sent in its signal 20 designates a rod or bar mounted from and to set a suitable signal at each succeeding vertical movement on the stud 20 and constation cut out to show that the said station nected at its lower end with the pawl 19, while has been cut out to connection with the main at its upper end the bar 20 has a finger 20,

or central station to prevent trains passing by spring-held to its normal position at right an- 80 said station without sending in their respecgles to the bar 20 by a spring 20, as shown tive signals. in Fig. 3, and with which the end 21 of the With other objects in view, which will hererocking lever 21, pivoted at 21 to the casing 3 5 inafter be madeapparent, the invention conm, engages, and the said lever 21 has a pondsists in the novel construction and combination ent armature-carrying rod 22, having an ar- 8 5 of parts, which will be first described in detail mature 22 for cooperating with the releasingand then specifically pointed out in the apmagnet 23, connected by wires 23 to the pended claims, reference being had to the actrack-rails t t and the battery B. The said companying drawings, in which lever 21 is held to its normal position by a Figure 1 1s a diagrammatic View of our inspring 21, as shown. o vention. Fig. 21satop plan view of the trans- 15 designates a pinion carried by the shaft mitter-box, the cover being removed. Fig. 3 15, which meshes with a gear 15 in the counis a longitudinal section thereof, takenpracter-shaft 15, also having a pinion 15 meshtically on'the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a ing with the gear-surface 25 of the drive detailviewof thecut-outorcommutatormechmotor casing 25, mounted to rotate on its anism. Fig. 5 Ba detail view of one of the shaft 26, to which and to the casing 25 the commutator-disks and its line connections. coil-spring 25, carried within said casing 25,

Referring now to the accompanying drawis connected, and the said shaft 26 is held from normal rotating by the r'atchet-and-pawl connection 26 26 as shown. The shaft 26 also carries a winding-key 26", whereby to.

wind up the motor-spring when run down.

By referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings it will be seen that each commutator-disk 16 includes a portion 16 of fiber or other insulating material, to the circumference of which is attached a split metallic ring 16*, extending about five-sixths the circumferential length of the disks 16, so as to leave an insulating portion 16 equal in length to one-sixth of the circumferential distance of the disks 16. In a countersunk portion of one side of the insulatingportion 16 is ametallic strip 16 having a portion 16 in electric contact with the shaft 15, and the disk 16 is held on the shaft 15 by collars 15, one of which is held in tight electrical engagement with the portion 16 and the shaft 15 to conduct the current from the strip 16 to the shaft and from thence to the metallic signaling wheel 17, having signaling teeth 17" through the brush 17 a to the ground.

27 28 indicate a pair of contactbrushes adapted to engage with the commutator-disk 16 and which are connected in series with the main-line wires. The said brushes 27 28 engage the side faces of the split metallic ring 16 during five-sixths of a revolution of the commutator-disk 16, while during the remainingone-sixth revolution the metallic or electrical connection is broken by the engagement of one of the brushes .with the insulating portion 16. 1 Any suitable signaling mechanism, such as lamps L, may be connected to the mainline wires to show that the said line-wires are cut out or dead, the system being a normally closed circuit one operated by the main battery B.

From practical experience we have found that the resistance between the rails of a railroad having a stone bed as now generally constructed is sufiicient to avoid the necessity of insulating the rails to which the terminals from the magnet 23 connect. However, whenever it may be necessary we may insulate the rai s.

So far as described the manner in which our invention operates can be best explained as follows: Assuming the trains to be passing from left to right in Fig. 1, as the first train arrives at the transmitter-station A it will bridge the track-rails to operate the magnet 23, which will pull down its armature and cause the rocking lever to lift the vertical movable bar to momentarily release the pawl 19 from the ratchet 18, which will permit the commutator-d isks to revolve until the brushes 27 28 of the first commutator-disk leave the metallic rim and the brush 28 comes in contact with the strip 16, while the other brush, 27, engages the insulation at the other side of the strip. This cuts out the remaining portion of the line and grounds the portion between the station A and the central station through shaft 15 and signal-wheel 17 which wheel at the same time, by reason of its signaling-teeth, sends in the station-signal to the time-stamp and recording mechanism through the linewire 1. The remaining commutator-disks continue to have their brushes in contact with their respective rings 16", so as not to cut out the remainingline-circuits. As the first train leaves the vicinity of the station A the magnet 23 will release its armature, allowing the rocking lever to again engage the finger on the vertically-movable bar 20. It should be understood the shaft 15 only revolves onesixth of a revolution for each operation of the magnet 23. The strip 16 is so arranged that the brushes will pass onto the ring 16 just prior to the time the rotation of the shaft 15 is stopped. As the second train arrives at station A the same cycle of operations takes place, the main line portion 2 being grounded through its commutator-disks 16 and the signal-wheel 17 while the rest of the line 2 is cut out, the signal being recorded on its respective recording and time-stamp mechanism. The operation is the same for each successive train. The first train operates its recording and time-stamp mechanism through the main-line wire 1, the second train through the main-line wire 2, and so on. As the first train arrives at the second station A the same operation takes place in its signaling or transmitting mechanism as for station A. Should the sixth train to pass station A be about to enter the limits of station A at the same time the seventh train is sending in the signal through the line-wire 1 at station A, the sigstation A and operate its signal.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages and complete operation of our invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. In a train signaling and recording mechanism, a plurality of main-line circuits includving recording devices, of a transmitter mechanism common to all of said main-line circuits, said transmitter mechanism adapted to cut out a portion of the main-line circuits at predetermined times, for the purposes specified.

2. In'a train signaling and recording mechanism, a plurality of main-line circuits including recording devices, a transmitter mechanism common to all of said main-line circuits,

said transmitter mechanism adapted to be set in operation by the passing train, to cut out a portion of the main-line circuits and send in a signal to the recording mechanism through the remaining portion of the circuit, as specified.

3. A plurality of main-line circuits, transmitter mechanism common to all of said circuits and including means for grounding a portion of one oi the said main-line circuits and cut out the remaining portion thereof, whereby to permit sending in a signal through said grounded portion and prevent signaling through said cut-out portion of the main-line circuit, as specified.

4. In a train signaling and recording system, including a plurality of main-line circuits each including recording mechanisms, of a transmitter device, said device including aplurality of commutator-disks one for each mainline circuit, and a signal-wheel in electriccontact with said disks, and with the ground, said line-circuits having grounded terminals, said commutator-disks adapted to ground a portion of one of said main-line circuits through the signal-wheel, and to cut out the other portion of said circuit, at predetermined times,

for the purposes specified.

5. In a train signaling and recording system, including a plurality of main-line circuits each including recording devices, of a transmitter mechanism, said mechanismineluding a plurality of commutator-disks, one for each main-line circuit, and a signal-wheel in electric contact with said disks and with the ground, said main-line circuit having grounded terminals, means for releasing said transmitter mechanism so that said commutatordisks will ground aportion of one of said mainline circuits through the signaling-wheel, and cut out the other portion of said circuit at predetermined times.

6. In a signaling system, a plurality of independent main-line circuits each including recording devices, of a transmitter mechanism common to all of said main-line circuits, said transmitter mechanism being controlled by the passing train and adapted to successively connect each of the main-line circuit portions between the recording mechanism and the transmitter mechanism to the ground at predetermined times, and to simultaneously cut out the remaining portion of the said groundec circuit, for the purposes specified.

7. In a signaling system, a plurality of independent main-line circuits each including recording devices, of a transmitter mechanism common to all of said main-line circuits, said transmitter mechanism being controlled by the passing train and adapted to successively connect each of the main-line circuit portions between the recording mechanism and the transmitter mechanism to the ground at predetermined times, and to simultaneously cut out the remaining portion of the said groundcircuit, and a signaling-wheel in said ground connection adapted to send a signal through the so grounded portion of the particular main-line circuit to operate its respective recording mechanism,for the purposes specified.

8. In a train signaling and recording system including a plurality of main-line circuits including recording mechanisms, a series of transmitter mechanisms common to all of said main-line circuits, and arranged at suitable intervals apart, a drive-motor for each of said transmitter mechanisms, means for controlling said mechanisms by the passing train, each of said transmitter mechanisms being adapted to send a signal to the recording mechanism of one circuit and cut out the succeeding transmitter mechanism in that circuit at predetermined times.

9. In a transmitter mechanism for electric signaling systems including a plurality of main-line circuits having recording devices, a plurality of commutator devices one for each main-line circuit, each of said commutator devices including grounded segments, main-line contact-terminals for cooperating with the commutator devices, said commutator devices being so arranged as to ground a portion of one main-line circuit and cut out the other portion thereof, for the purposes specified. 10. In a transmitter mechanism for electric signaling systems including a plurality of main-line circuits having recording devices, a plurality of commutator devices one for each main-line circuit mounted to move in unison each of said commutator devices including grounded segments all of said grounded segments having a common ground connection, a signal-wheel. included in said ground connection, said commutator devices being so arranged as to ground a portion of one mainline circuit and simultaneously cut out the other portion thereof, for the purposes specified.

11. In a transmitter mechanism for electric signaling systems including a plurality of main-line circuits having recording devices therein, a plurality of commutator devices one for each main-line circuit mounted to move in unison, each of said commutator devices including grounding segments, all of said grounding segments having a common ground connection, a signal-wheel included in said ground connection and adapted to move in unison with said commutator devices, mainline contact-terminals for cooperating with the commutator devices, said commutator devices being so arranged as to ground a portion of one main-line circuit and simultaneously cut out the other portion thereof, for the purposes specified.

12. In a train signaling and recording system, a pluralityof main-line wires including independently-operated recording devices, a series of transmitter mechanisms common to all of said main-line circuits adapted to'be set eluding grounded segments, main-line contact-terminals for cooperating With the commutator devices, said commutator devices being so arranged as to ground a portion of one circuit and cut out the other portion thereof, for the purposes described.

FRANK R. WOOD. D. FREDERICK SHAMBERGER.

Witnesses:

T. W'. STINGLEY, WM. V. HUMMEL. 

